Container closing apparatus



0. BJ ERING CONTAINER CLOSING APPARATUS Jan. 24, 1961 Filed Oct. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 tlnl INVENTOR- UZHYBUE'KIA G Jan. 24, 1961 o. BJERING CONTAINER CLOSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1957 lNVENTOR OLHYBI/Z'KING ATTO United States Patent CONTAINER CLOSING APPARATUS Olav Bjering, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 11, 1957, Ser. No. 689,731

5 Claims. (Cl. 53-112) The present invention relates to improvements in container closing apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus when incorporating means for introducing steam or an inert gas into the head space of filled containers just prior to sealing thereof by the application of closure caps thereto.

Apparatus of the type with which this invention is especially adapted for use is shown in patent to John Hohl et al. No. 2,630,957 issued March 10, 1953 titled Method and Apparatus for Sealing Containers. In some forms of such machine steam distributors frequently occupy fixed positions at both sides of a segment of the circular path of travel of open-top filled containers and direct steam or some inert gas laterally across and into the open ends to effect filling of the head space prior to capping and sealing. Under some operating conditions this arrangement is not the most desirable in that it does not permit ready access to the enclosed mechanism for adjustment, replacement of parts, etc., and secondly does not allow the desired accurate control of steam or inert gas introduction such as may be distinctly advantageous at times.

An object of my invention is the provision of simple, novel means whereby the steam or gas distributor radially exterior to the path of travel of the filled containers about to be sealed may be positioned a sufiicient distance outwardly and away from said path as to make readily accessible all of the enclosed mechanisms such as the cap carrying and applying chucks, and actuating devices for the latter.

A further object is the provision of means whereby the exterior distributor may be cut out or rendered completely inellective in order to lessen the volume of introduced steam or gas and proportionately change the degree of resultant vacuum created in the containers.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing my invention incorporated in a rotary container capping apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention it is shown incorporated in a rotary capping machine comprising a turntable Ill mounted upon a central vertical column 11 rising from a base 12 and rotatable about the axis of said column. Bottle or jar holders 13 support bottles 14 in upright positions about the turntable. A star-wheel 15 delivers bottles to the turntable and a take-out 16 removes sealed bottles from the latter. Closure cap applying chucks 17 individual to the holders 13 and positioned thereabove are mounted upon a carriage 18 which rotates with the turntable 10. A stationary cam 19 operates through cam rolls 29 on the chucks to move the latter vertically and turbine-type air motors 21 actuated by air under pressure received from a dis tributor drum 21 rotate the chucks in the event screwthreaded closure caps are being applied to the containers.

The foregoing, which does not comprise an essential part of the present invention, forms the subject matter of my copending application, Serial Number 608,243 filed September 6, 1956, titled Container Closing Apparatus, now US. Patent No. 2,884,751.

In the packaging of certain products, it is important that the amount of entrapped oxygen be held to a minimum or avoided entirely in order to preserve the desired color and flavor and prevent spoilage. One method of accomplishing this result is to introduce steam or an inert gas into the head space of product filled jars just prior to scaling. Such gas or steam preferably fills the head space and materially reduces oxygen entrapment. If steam is introduced, a substantial degree of vacuum develops incident to cooling.

In my apparatus, as illustrated, a circular steam distributor 22 encircles the column just below the carriage 18 and is provided with an apertured or screened section 23 facing a segment of the path of travel of the bottles 14 at a level in proximity to the cap affixing chucks 17.

This distributor is attached to one end of a horizontal radial conduit 24 which is secured to the lower end of a rigid housing 25, the latter consisting of an upper transverse head portion 26 and a depending leg 27. The radial conduit 24 is secured to said leg 27. A supply pipe 28 for steam or an inert gas extends vertically through said leg and head portion and at its lower end communicates with the radial conduit. A flow control valve 29 is carried by said supply pipe 28.

A second steam distributor 30 positioned exterior to a segment of the path of travel of the bottles and at substantially the same level as the other distributor is operable in conjunction with or independently of the latter to introduce steam into the head space and envelope closure caps preparatory to and during afiixing of the latter to the containers. This second distributor comprises an arcuate lower section 31 having a perforate or screen portion 32 normally facing the other distributor. An upstanding hollow leg or vertical portion 33 terminates in a radially inwardly directed extension 34 which is hinged by means of a horizontal pin 35 to the closed end of the aforementioned head portion 26 of said housing. A steam supply pipe 36 extends downwardly through the hollow leg 33 to the arcuate distributor section 31 and near its upper end is provided with a flow control valve 37. Depending from the lower margin of the arcuate distributor section 31 is an arcuate shield 38 which is intended to confine steam or gas to the desired area and prevent drafts of air from entering this zone.

With structure as above described either or both distributors may be utilized, such being dependent upon the specific results desired. In some instances, a high vacuum is not essential and in such event use of the exterior distributor only may be entirely adequate. Because of the hinged or pivoted mounting of the exterior distributor it may be moved outwardly and secured by means (not shown) in a position spaced radially from the turntable and chucks, permitting ready access to the otherwise closely covered mechanism for the purposes of adjustment, replacement of parts, etc.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In container closing apparatus, means for carrying upright filled open top containers and closure caps thereabove along a circular horizontal path with the caps and containers spaced apart, means. for effecting relative vertical movement of the caps and containers to seal the latter, means for introducing steam or an inert gas into the space between the caps and containers just prior to sealing of the latter, the last named means comprising a fixed distributor between said path and the axis about which the latter extends, a movable substantially semicircular distributor radially outward of and coaxial with said path and opposite the :fixed distributor and means individual to :the distributors :for supplying steam or inert gas .to the latter.

2. Apparatus as defined inclaim l, the movable .distributor comprising a generally inverted L-shaped conduit .pivotally supported at its upper end for swinging movement in a radial vertical plane to and away from anoperating position.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim l, the movable distributor comprising a generally inverted L-shaped conduit including a vertical portion, an arcuate section at the lower end of said vertical portion concentric with the path of travel of the containers when in normal operating position, a radiallyinward extension at the upper end of the vertical portion,;rnea ns connected to said extension hingedly supporting the distributor for swinging movement ina radial vertical plane, and valves for regulably controlling the flow .of steam or gas to said distributors.

4. Apparatus .as defined in claim 3, the hinged support for said movable distributor comprising a horizontal hinge pin and the steam supply means being a pipe entering the distributor at the upper end of and extending downwardly through said vertical portion.

5. In container closing apparatus, means for carrying upright filled open-top containers and closure caps thereabove along a circular horizontal path with the caps and containers spaced apart vertically, means for effecting relative vertical movement of the caps and containers to interengage them and seal the latter, means for introducing steam oran inert gas into the space between the caps and containers just prior to scaling of the latter, the last named means comprising a fixed arcuate distributor positioned between said horizontal path and the axis about which the latter extends and operable to direct steam or an inert gas generally radially outward across the path, a movable arcuate distributor positioned radially outward of and coaxial with said path and opposite said fixed distributor and means individual to the distributors for supplying steam or an inert gas thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,035 Stewart et al. Jan. 11, 1944 2,630,957 Hohl Mar. 10, 1953 2,649,671 Bartelt Aug. 25, 1953 

